While Leonard Nimoy has become an integral part of the new Star Trek films and how they tangentially connect to the movies and TV shows that came before, one major player has remained noticeably absent: The original Captain James T. Kirk, William Shatner.
Shatner has been very vocal about being left out of the new series, and even once called J.J. Abrams a pig for not including him in the 2009 reboot. In fact, he was so upset about it that he skipped watching it entirely for quite some time. He later apologized to Abrams, but still didn’t make it into last year’s Star Trek Into Darkness.
A Shatner-less Star Trek may soon be coming to an end, however, as Badass Digest is reporting that the actor may have a role in Roberto Orci’s Star Trek 3. According to Devin Faraci, the script includes a scene that reunites Shatner and Nimoy on screen together as Kirk and Spock, for the first time since 1991’s Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country.
Of course, even if Faraci is right and the scene is in the script, that doesn’t mean it will make it to the screen. There was a Shatner cameo planned for the 2009 Star Trek that was dropped before filming began because Abrams felt that it was too forced, so it’s possible that the same thing could happen here. And, one has to wonder… would Shatner even agree to do it, after being left out of the last two installments?
With the script not yet finished and filming not expected to begin for another six months, it may be quite some time before we know for sure. In any case, let us know your thoughts about this possible Shatner/Nimoy reunion in the comments section below.
Star Trek 3 currently lacks a release date, but it’s expected to boldly go into theaters sometime in 2016.